Feature Request: Add support for VEML6030 and VEML7700 sensors

[Jibun-no-Kage]

Feature Request: Add support for VEML6030 and VEML7700 sensors. Thanks.

[6by9]

(This is not a firmware issue - dtoverlays are part of the Linux kernel, hence https://github.com/raspberrypi/linux).

The module VEML6030 for 6030, 6035, and 7700 isn't built in the standard Pi kernel configs, so it would need a defconfig change as well as the overlay.

Before we jump through the hoops to add this one, are there any others that you're after?

[Jibun-no-Kage]

Ah yes! Thanks for transferring it.

The 6040, 6070, 6075 are already supported. Which is wonderful! However, these requested additions extend the support of the family of sensors... in that some are UV sensors, some spectral (color), and some Lux only. The pricing and sourcing changes all the time, as batch runs are completed, then have to wait for the batch runs to complete again, so for one project 6030 might available, later only the 7700 is available... then later 6030, etc., etc.

Just for comparison... same is happening with the BMP280, BME280 being replaced, via the BMP580, BMP581, and BMP585 are available now. There is prototype support for BMP580 support via dtoverlay, per 6.12.45, which I tested and it did not seem to work, i2cdetect did not show UU state. I reported this on another issue.

[pelwell]

I'm just preparing a PR for this, but I've found that the 6035 and 7700 support doesn't appear until 6.16. Back-porting may be possible, but it's non-trivial. Would you settle for VEML6030 in 6.12, with the others appearing in 6.16 and later?

[pelwell]

See: #7052

[Jibun-no-Kage]

Yes! No need for jump through hoops! VEML6030 in 6.12... and other is in 6.16 is fine. Again... Thank you.

[pelwell]

You can install a trial build of the new kernel and updated overlay using sudo rpi-update pulls/7052 (or build it yourself) - just be careful if you are relying on the initramfs for a non-standard root filesystem, etc.

[Jibun-no-Kage]

True, true. I have been looking for an opportunity to learn the kernel build process, maybe this is just that. I trust that you will keep the updated support in queue or back burner for 6.16. So I will close the request for now.

[Jibun-no-Kage]

For VEML6030... Tested this morning after I pulled 7052 via rpi-update. Got a message in 'dmesg' never seen before that I recall...

[   13.108278] veml6030 1-0048: prop pinctrl-0 index 0 invalid phandle

My VEML6030 is definitely at i2c address 0x48...

# i2cdetect -y 1
     0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  a  b  c  d  e  f
00:                         -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
10: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
20: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
30: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
40: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 48 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
50: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
60: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
70: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Versus 0x10 when pulled high (if memory serves for the address assignment). Default for my sensor board is 0x48.

Details...

# grep dtoverlay /boot/firmware/config.txt
dtoverlay=vc4-kms-v3d
dtoverlay=dwc2,dr_mode=host
#dtoverlay=disable-wifi
#dtoverlay=disable-bt
##dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,bmp280,addr=0x76
#dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,bme280,addr=0x77
#dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,bme280,addr=0x76
#dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,bmp58x,addr=0x47
#dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,sht3x,addr=0x44
#dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,sht4x,addr=0x44
#dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,aht10,addr=0x38
#dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,hdc100x,addr=0x40         # 0x40-0x43
#dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,hdc3020,addr=0x44         # 0x44-0x47
#dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,hdc3022,addr=0x44         # 0x44-0x47, Use hdc3020?
dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,veml6030,addr=0x48         # 0x48 Or 0x10
#dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,veml6040,addr=0x10
#dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,veml6070,addr=0x38        # 0x38-0x39
#dtoverlay=i2c-sensor,veml6075,addr=0x10

# vclog -m
004197.003: arasan: arasan_emmc_open
004197.174: arasan: arasan_emmc_set_clock C0: 0x00800000 C1: 0x000e0047 emmc: 200000000 actual: 390625 div: 0x00000100 target: 400000 min: 400000 max: 400000 delay: 5
004301.946: arasan: arasan_emmc_set_clock C0: 0x00800000 C1: 0x000e0047 emmc: 200000000 actual: 390625 div: 0x00000100 target: 400000 min: 400000 max: 400000 delay: 5
004302.033: arasan: arasan_emmc_set_clock C0: 0x00800f00 C1: 0x000e0047 emmc: 200000000 actual: 390625 div: 0x00000100 target: 400000 min: 390000 max: 400000 delay: 5
004320.006: boot-part: 1 fs-type: 0
004320.017: boot-part: 1 fs-type: 3
004320.154: arasan: arasan_emmc_set_clock C0: 0x00800f06 C1: 0x000e0207 emmc: 200000000 actual: 50000000 div: 0x00000002 target: 50000000 min: 0 max: 50000000 delay: 1
004459.650: brfs: File read: /mfs/sd/config.txt
004460.529: brfs: File read: 1242 bytes
004493.425: HDMI1:EDID error reading EDID block 0 attempt 0
004494.442: HDMI1:EDID giving up on reading EDID block 0
004498.820: brfs: File read: /mfs/sd/config.txt
005273.668: gpioman: gpioman_get_pin_num: pin DISPLAY_DSI_PORT not defined
005274.424: gpioman: gpioman_get_pin_num: pin DISPLAY_DSI_PORT not defined
005276.577: *** Restart logging
005276.598: brfs: File read: 1242 bytes
005294.681: hdmi: HDMI1:EDID error reading EDID block 0 attempt 0
005295.699: hdmi: HDMI1:EDID giving up on reading EDID block 0
005300.740: hdmi: HDMI1:EDID error reading EDID block 0 attempt 0
005301.755: hdmi: HDMI1:EDID giving up on reading EDID block 0
005301.773: hdmi: HDMI:hdmi_get_state is deprecated, use hdmi_get_display_state instead
005301.789: HDMI0: hdmi_pixel_encoding: 300000000
005301.801: HDMI1: hdmi_pixel_encoding: 300000000
007397.490: brfs: File read: /mfs/sd/initramfs8
007397.523: Loaded 'initramfs8' to 0x0 size 0xb622e5
007415.230: initramfs (initramfs8) loaded to 0x2e49d000 (size 0xb622e5)
007425.021: dtb_file 'bcm2711-rpi-4-b.dtb'
007425.056: brfs: File read: 11936485 bytes
007437.509: brfs: File read: /mfs/sd/bcm2711-rpi-4-b.dtb
007437.544: Loaded 'bcm2711-rpi-4-b.dtb' to 0x100 size 0xdbe1
007471.865: brfs: File read: 56289 bytes
007485.717: brfs: File read: /mfs/sd/overlays/overlay_map.dtb
007546.863: brfs: File read: 5887 bytes
007549.632: brfs: File read: /mfs/sd/config.txt
007549.916: dtparam: i2c_arm=on
007572.015: dtparam: i2s=off
007592.377: dtparam: spi=on
007612.892: dtparam: audio=off
007625.919: brfs: File read: 1242 bytes
007645.276: brfs: File read: /mfs/sd/overlays/vc4-kms-v3d-pi4.dtbo
007803.144: Loaded overlay 'vc4-kms-v3d-pi4'
008188.352: brfs: File read: 3913 bytes
008200.775: brfs: File read: /mfs/sd/overlays/i2c-sensor.dtbo
008459.676: Loaded overlay 'i2c-sensor'
008459.698: dtparam: veml6030=true
008467.085: dtparam: addr=0x48
008803.257: brfs: File read: 21044 bytes
008805.595: brfs: File read: /mfs/sd/cmdline.txt
008805.701: Read command line from file 'cmdline.txt':
008805.737: 'console=serial0,115200 consoleblank=0 video=HDMI-A-1:1920x1080@60D ipv6.disable=1 console=tty1 root=PARTUUID=2c37ec9e-02 rootfstype=ext4 fsck.mode=force fsck.repair=yes rootwait cfg80211.ieee80211_regdom=US'
008991.725: brfs: File read: 207 bytes
009829.280: brfs: File read: /mfs/sd/kernel8.img
009829.302: Loaded 'kernel8.img' to 0x200000 size 0x97d8e8
011248.498: Device tree loaded to 0x2e48ed00 (size 0xe2f3)
011254.726: gpioman: gpioman_get_pin_num: pin SDCARD_CONTROL_POWER not defined
011254.891: Watchdog stopped
011254.905: arm_loader: Starting ARM with 948MB
011360.319: sdram: sdram refresh 1562->3124 (2)
012342.146: XHCI_RESET: vendor: 1106 device: 3483 pcie-base: 00004000
012432.769: MCU FW: 10ffc800 3ff20000
012432.823: VLI firmware load complete status 0
012447.590: vchiq_core: vchiq_init_state: slot_zero = 0xce880000, is_master = 1
012455.441: TV service:host side not connected, dropping notification 0x00000002, 0x00000001, 0x00000010

# dmesg -l err,warn
[    0.463536] pci_bus 0000:01: supply vpcie3v3 not found, using dummy regulator
[    0.463693] pci_bus 0000:01: supply vpcie3v3aux not found, using dummy regulator
[    0.463724] pci_bus 0000:01: supply vpcie12v not found, using dummy regulator
[   10.173084] systemd[1]: Binding to IPv6 address not available since kernel does not support IPv6.
[   10.183489] systemd[1]: Binding to IPv6 address not available since kernel does not support IPv6.
[   11.261775] systemd-journald[276]: File /var/log/journal/5fb45d6628944f068e07a2c618fb4814/system.journal corrupted or uncleanly shut down, renaming and replacing.
[   12.433196] vc_sm_cma: module is from the staging directory, the quality is unknown, you have been warned.
[   12.498128] bcm2835_mmal_vchiq: module is from the staging directory, the quality is unknown, you have been warned.
[   12.499607] snd_bcm2835: module is from the staging directory, the quality is unknown, you have been warned.
[   12.558805] bcm2835_v4l2: module is from the staging directory, the quality is unknown, you have been warned.
[   12.562514] bcm2835_isp: module is from the staging directory, the quality is unknown, you have been warned.
[   12.571842] bcm2835_codec: module is from the staging directory, the quality is unknown, you have been warned.
[   12.724598] hci_uart_bcm serial0-0: supply vbat not found, using dummy regulator
[   12.724727] hci_uart_bcm serial0-0: supply vddio not found, using dummy regulator
[   13.108278] veml6030 1-0048: prop pinctrl-0 index 0 invalid phandle

uname -a

Linux phobia 6.12.47-v8+ #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed Sep 17 17:23:22 UTC 2025 aarch64 GNU/Linux

rpi-update

*** Raspberry Pi firmware updater by Hexxeh, enhanced by AndrewS and Dom
*** Performing self-update
*** Relaunching after update
*** Raspberry Pi firmware updater by Hexxeh, enhanced by AndrewS and Dom
FW_REV:6d1da66a7b1358c9cd324286239f37203b7ce25c
BOOTLOADER_REV:360324a17edebeb625c3fffe872321a0e2c20dc4
WANT_32BIT:0 WANT_64BIT:1 WANT_64BIT_RT:0 WANT_PI4:1 WANT_PI5:1

Updating a system with initramfs configured is not supported by rpi-update.
If your system relies on drivers provided by the initramfs (e.g. custom filesystem options)
it may not boot without regenerating the initramfs.
If you are unsure, test if your system boots with initramfs options disabled from config.txt

Would you like to proceed? (y/N)

[pelwell]

I see the problem - the veml declaration is missing a +99 to enable the int_pins fragment. I'll fix it tomorrow.

[pelwell]

Done - that should work now.